Editorial: HUD needs to come clean

Posted: Tuesday, March 20, 2001

If the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has nothing to hide, then it shouldn't be so hesitant in abiding by federal law.

In December, The Galveston County Daily News requested HUD to release information as to why New York received far more funding for homeless issues than Texas. Seems like a reasonable request, especially after the Empire State got about four times as much money as Texas.

As of now, the federal agency has been coy in coming up with the information.

The department uses what it calls "scores" to determine the awarding of grants to coalitions that serve homeless people. Texas received $26.6 million; New York got more than $100 million. New York City alone was allocated more than $80 million.

The housing department says low scores cost the Lone Star State about $10 million more in funding. So on Dec. 29, the newspaper wanted to know why and sought copies of the documents relating to the scores in Texas, New York and other states.

Federal law requires government agencies to answer requests for records in a reasonable amount of time, usually 20 working days, according to the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas.

It has been more than two months. Does that sound reasonable?

Marie Perry, who works in HUD's freedom of information division, said the request from the Texas newspaper was still being reviewed. However, she didn't give a timetable when the request would be granted or whether it would be granted at all.

The kicker to this story is that Andrew Cuomo was the housing secretary at the time of the request. Cuomo, the son of the former governor of New York Mario Cuomo, has announced he also will run for New York's governor's office.

In politics, the media need to follow the money. The Galveston County Daily News is trying to do that, but the HUD's stonewalling is making that nearly impossible. Oftentimes, silence speaks volumes.